Key chain tag holder



April 18, 1967 J. E. STEWART KEY CHAIN TAG HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheeti Filed June 30, 1965 z//fevu 0/? f. JZe war I INVENTOR.

April 18, 1967 J. E. STEWART KEY CHAIN TAG HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1965 dffer'Jo/v Jfewarz INVENTOR.

BY Magda 6 5 1 United States Patent 3,314,543 KEY CHAIN TAG HOLDER Jelferson E. Stewart, 6610 Barney, Houston, Tex. 77018 Filed June 30, 1965, Ser. No. 468,223 4 Claims. (Cl. 211-43) This invention relates to a new chain tag holder.

A difiicult, serious problem in the real estate, hotel, motel, apartment, rental businesses, and the like, is the problem of keeping key chain tags and the corresponding keys in a logical, concise, and clear order.

It is well known that many rental businesses and the like have hundreds of key chain tags and corresponding keys to their rental properties and that to find a particular key chain tag and corresponding key quickly is impossible without a massive searching elfort among all of the key chain tags and keys.

This resulting confusion in searching for a particular key chain tag and corresponding key results in costly delay to persons in the rental business, thereby depriving them of costly time that could be spent in displaying and showing rentals.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved file system for key chain tags.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved filing system for key chain tags in which the key chain tags are readily accessible.

It is a further object of this invention to provide new and improved key chain tag holders which are easily constructed and simple to use.

The preferred embodiment of this invention will be described hereinafter together with other features thereof, and additional objects will become evident from such description.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereotf wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one of the chain tag therefor;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing ameans for retaining key chain tags in the key chain tag holder;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of FIG. 2 and displaying the retaining means in greater detail;

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the 'key chain tag holder showing a locking means for positioning the panel at an angle with respect to the support, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a difi'erent type of retaining means for key chain tags when inserted in the key chain tag holder.

In the drawings, the letter H designates generally the key chain tag holder and the preferred embodiment of this invention. The key chain tag holder H includes a support having a bottom member 10a and two sides, 10b and 100, connected to the bottom member 10a in any suitable manner, and as shown in the drawings, may be integrally formed therewith. The sides 1% and 10c extend upwardly and are substantially perpendicular to the bottom member 10a. It is to be understood that support 10 may be constructed of wood, metal, plastic, or any other material capable of holding its shape and being used as a support.

Extending between the internal surface of sides 10b and 10c is a ,panel member 11 'which is constructed of wood, metal, plastic, or the like. Panel member 11 can be attached to sides 1% and 100 in any conventional manner to enable the panel 11 to be rotated about its longiand improved key panels of the key holder of the present invention and the support ICC.

tudinal axis as will be described in greater detail. In the particular embodiment shown, the panel .is supported on sides 10b and by pins 42 which are carried in each side 1% and 10c, one of such pins being shown in FIG. 4. The pins 42 support panel 11 above bottom 10a a suitable distance to accommodate the partial rotation hereinbefore referred to. It is to be understood that only one panel member 11 is shown for convenience in the drawings, but multiple panels can easily be supported by sides 10b and 100 of support 10 and spaced relative to each other for access to the slots 12a.

The panel member 11 is provided with a plurality of slots or recesses 12a along each edge for receiving key holders therein as illustrated in FIG. 5. It will be noted that each recess is separated from an adjacent recess by the partition 12b and is separated from the recesses 12a along the opposite edge by the central divider 12c, as shown in the drawings.

The key chain tags T, as shown in FIG. 1, are of slight ly smaller rectangular size than slots or recesses 12a whereby they may be easily inserted and withdrawn from each recess when desired. Key chain tags T are of the conventional type which are well known and are made of a clear plastic, metal, wood, or the like, with an identifying letter or numeral on or inserted in the key chain tag (not shown).

The co-ordination of the key chain tags and the slots or grooves will be brought out in the operation of the invention below.

Panel member 11 is constructed so that there are holes 14 extending through the bottom 11a of panel member 11 at each recess or slot 12a, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5. The hole 14 may be formed so that it is slightly tapered toward each recess and thereby forms a seat for each ball member 15.

Ball-shaped members 15, shown in FIGS. .2 and 3, or resilient semicircular members '16, as shown in FIG. 5, having a slightly smaller diameter than hole 14, are inserted in the holes 14 and protrude into each recess.

A retaining member 17 constructed of a flat strip of metal, wood, or the like, is placed on the bottom 11a of panel member 11 and engages the ball members 15 to hold them in place. In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 3, retaining member 17 is held in place by screw 18 extending into the bottom 11a of panel member '11 between slots or recesses 12a and, as shown, the retainer 17 is of suflicient length to cover two adjacent holes to prevent ball members 15 from falling out of the hole 14. It is to be understood that the retaining member 17 may be adapted to extend the complete length of the bottom 11a of panel member 11 and that retaining member '17 may be attached by other suitable means, such as glue,

. to the bottom of the panel member 11.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the member 16 is made of a resilient material, such as rubber, plastic, or the like, and is wedged into hole 14 with sufficient force so that a retaining member 17 is not needed to prevent 16 from falling out of the bore hole. I

Slots or recesses 12 and holes 14 are constructed such that when ball members 15 or resilient members 16 are inserted in holes 14, a part, portion, or tip of the ball members 15 or the resilient members .16 extends into the slots 12a or recesses, as previously noted.

The top and bottom 11a of the panel 11 is cut out as represented at 12a adjacent each recess so that the key chain tag T may be quickly and readily engaged.

The key chain tag holder H is further provided with a locking or retaining member 19 as shown in FIG. 4. Locking member 19 positioned externally of side 10b or 100 is provided with two parallel arms 20 and 2 1 connected by the arm 22 that is perpendicular to both arms 20 and 21 at the point of connection. Connection arm 22 may be provided with suitable means as illustrated at 22a for grasping retaining member 19 and inserting in position or removing it from engagement with panel 11. Arms 20 and 21 extend through either side b or 190 by holes 23 and 24 to lock panel member .11 in a particular position as will be described in the operation of the invention hereinafter.

In the use of the invention, numbered or lettered key chain tags T may be inserted in slots or recesses 12a otf panel member 11. The bottom of the key chain tags T contacts the ball members '15 or semicircular resilient members 16 which extend partially into slots 12a, and the bottom of the key chain tags T slides or slips over the ball member 15 or resilient member 16, thereby retaining the key chain tags T in the slots 12a. The ball members 15 and the resilient members 16 positioned in openings 14 in the bottom of each recess serve to retain the key chain in each recess, but do not interfere with the easy removal of each key chain from its respective recess.

The top 11c and bottom 11a of panel 11 as mentioned above has small cutaway portions 12d adjacent each slot 120 so that the key chain tags may be gripped for removal from or insertion into the slots 12a.

Each panel member 11 is adapted to rotate about its longitudinal axis, as previously noted, and in the preferred embodiment of the invention, complete rotation of panel member 111 is prevented because of the fact that the Width of the panel member 11 is greater than the distance 'from pin 42 to the top of 10a. Thus, 10a acts as a stopper or block to prevent complete rotation of panel member 11.

When panel member 11 is rotated such that it touches the top of 10a, the locking member 19 may be used to secure panel member 11 in this position as shown in FIG. 4. With the panel member 11 in a longitudinal rotated position, arms 20 and 21 are inserted by pushing arms 20 and 21 inwardly through holes 23 and 24 of side 10b and 100 to engage the top and bottom of panel member 11, respectively, to thereby prevent movement of the panel members. Of course, the panel member 11 can be rotated in either direction, clockwise or counterclockwise, and the locking system can lock the panel member in either position. To disengage the locking system and allow the panel members to rotate, arms 20 and 21 are pulled outwardly through holes 23 and 24 to disengage the arms from the panel member 11.

Broadly, the present invention relates to a key chain tag holder for supporting key chain tags in an orderly manner.

What is claimed is:

1. A key chain tag holder comprising in combination:

(a) a bottom support having two sides,

(b) a panel extending between said sides of said support,

(c) means for pivotally connecting said panel to said sides whereby said panel may be partially pivoted about its longitudinal axis,

(d) recesses in each edge of said panel adapted to receive a key chain tag,

(e) said recesses each having disposed in one surface an opening, a bearing member in each of said openings, and

(i) said bearing member contacting said key chain tag upon placement in said slot to aid in retaining said key chain tag in said recess.

2. A key chain tag holder comprising:

(a) a support having a bottom and two sides,

(b) panel members extending between said sides,

(c) means for pivotally connecting said panel to said sides and rfor spacing said panel away from said support whereby said panel may be partially rotated about its longitudinal axis,

(d) opposite edges on said panel,

(e) recesses in each of said edges of said panel posi tioned in a perpendicular alignment to each of said edges and in a spaced-apart relationship on each edge, for receiving a key chain tag,

(f) an opening in the bottom of each of said recesses,

and

(g) a bearing member in each of said openings for contacting said key chain tags upon placement in said slot and in retaining said key chain tag in said recess.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 2 including:

(a) lock means on one side of said support for engaging and securing said panel in said partially rotated position whereby one of said edges of said panel is in a fixed, upwardly position.

4. The structure as claimed in claim 3 wherein said lock means includes:

(a) two parallel spaced-apart arms extending through said side of said support for engaging the top and bottom surface of said panel to thereby secure said panel in said partially rotated position,

(b) an arm extending perpendicular to said parallel arms and positioned externally of said side for moving said parallel arms into and out of the rotational arc of said panel, and

(c) connecting means connecting said parallel arms to said anrn.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,063,165 12/1936 Hutchens 40l9.5 2,403,825 7/ 1946 Nissenbaum 206 -45.l5 2,485,051 10/1949 Joslin 220-20 X 3,259,748 7/1966 Larnmers 2061 X CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A KEY CHAIN TAG HOLDER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A BOTTOM SUPPORT HAVING TWO SIDES, (B) A PANEL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDES OF SAID SUPPORT, (C) MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID PANEL TO SAID SIDES WHEREBY SAID PANEL MAY BE PARTIALLY PIVOTED ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, (D) RECESSES IN EACH EDGE OF SAID PANEL ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A KEY CHAIN TAG, (E) SAID RECESSES EACH HAVING DISPOSED IN ONE SURFACE AN OPENING, A BEARING MEMBER IN EACH OF SAID OPENINGS, AND (F) SAID BEARING MEMBER CONTACTING SAID KEY CHAIN TAG UPON PLACEMENT IN SAID SLOT TO AID IN RETAINING SAID KEY CHAIN TAG IN SAID RECESS. 